Warnings and fines for more than a dozen SA businesses selling highly caffeinated drinks ‘targeted directly at kids’

More than a dozen SA businesses have been caught selling illegal energy drinks. Here’s why health authorities are so concerned.

More than a dozen South Australian businesses have received warning letters or fines after selling highly caffeinated energy drinks - some containing nearly double the legal caffeine limit.

Following a state government blitz, around 700 drinks have been seized from businesses, including cans of GFUEL, Bang and Raze, which contain 300 milligrams of caffeine in 437ml cans.

It is illegal in Australia to sell energy drinks with more than 320mg of caffeine per litre. Picture: Kelly Barnes

In Australia, it is illegal to sell energy drinks with more than 320 mg of caffeine per litre.

Some of the drinks contain around the same amount of caffeine as nine cans of Coca-Cola or three shots of coffee.

SA Health officials inspected more than 100 retailers and found 18 selling the harmful beverages.

Of those, 13 received warning letters and two received fines totalling $3000.

Health Minister Chris Picton said a number of retailers were caught “continually doing the wrong thing”.

“That’s why expiation fines have been issued,” he said.

“Those retailers are on notice that there’s also much higher levels of penalties that could be issued against businesses if we decided to prosecute under the Food Act and that’s still an option if we see people continue to reoffend.”

Hundreds of energy drinks have been seized from businesses across South Australia. Picture: Natalie Vikhrov

Acting Chief Public Health Officer Chris Lease said they were working with retailers to educate them on the regulations but also making efforts to reduce the ability of these products making it into the country in the first place.

He said the Australian Department for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has put eight holding orders on non-compliant energy drink brands.

“What those holding orders do is they identify the products that need to be intercepted at the border and they’re held at the border to stop them coming in,” he said.

Mr Picton said many of the illegal energy drinks featured video game and cartoon characters and were “targeted directly at kids”

“They’ve now been taken off the streets, particularly because of the impact that they have on our kids,” he said.

Officials warn that large amounts of caffeine can cause insomnia, anxiety, cardiovascular issues, ulcers, seizures and in rare cases death, among other complications.

A total of 400mg of caffeine is considered safe for healthy adults while 200mg is the limit for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

UniSA Bachelor of Nutrition and Food Sciences Program Director Evangeline Mantzioris said large amounts of caffeine were even more dangerous for children and pregnant women.

“Those who are under 18, they have a limited ability to break down caffeine in the body, so caffeine stays in the body for longer periods of time and therefore heightening the risk of heart problems, also increasing the risk of anxiety, increasing insomnia and also potentially causing nausea as well,” she said.

Around 700 energy drink cans have been seized. Picture: Kelly Barnes

“But there’s also another group that this is problematic for and that’s for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

“Caffeine does go through the placenta barrier, and it does go into the foetuses' blood supply. The young, unborn child has even less ability to break down the caffeine and can cause problems there as well.”

Asked if there are plans to ban sales of energy drinks to minors, Mr Picton said it was not something the government was currently considering but in the future it may look at a number of different responses “if this continues to eventuate”.